We had a fantastic time joining Dr. Liang at her Warden Optometry in Markham to learn about establishing a private practice in the GTA! We were greeted kindly by Dr. Liang and spoke with the optician and staff before they left for their weekend. The clinic team had gone to Niagara Falls for a vision conference earlier this year and enjoyed the opportunity to better their skills in serving patients.

We toured Dr. Liang’s pretesting area, exam lane, and an expanding vision therapy room while Dr. Liang described the services she provided to families and working individuals that made up the majority of her patient demographic. As a kid-friendly practice, there were little details like a small chair in the exam lane that showed Dr. Liang’s care for making her clinic family friendly. There was a variety of glasses displayed neatly on her wall and the waiting room looked comfortable and well-spaced. After our tour, Dr. Liang suggested that we go grab a bite to eat and continue our conversation there.

As we got settled in at Green Grotto, Dr. Liang described her journey of practicing in Alberta and eventually returning to her family in Markham to establish a private practice. Her interest in binocular vision led her to commit to many CE courses this year and improve her knowledge and expertise in ortho Ks, myopia control, and vision therapy. She spoke about her decision to join eye recommend and its benefits for choices on frames and contact lenses. She inspired us with her continuous commitment to be involved and engaged with her patients and the profession by listening to her patient’s needs (and Google reviews), being a member of the Ontario Association of Optometrists (OAO) and College of Optometrists in Vision Development, and attending her optometry class reunion recently as well! She recommends students join the OAO to stay involved in addition to seeking mentorship through them after graduation. We enjoyed the time she spent with us and she encouraged us to reach out to her at anytime.

We left with more insight about private practice and gratitude for the support of advocates such as Dr. Liang within the optometry community.